The Five Best Concerts in OC This Week

Austin Conroy

Cat Power--See Tuesday

Tuesday, January 22

Cat Power
The Observatory

No, it's not a feline liberation movement (although that would be rad), but rather the on-going musical project of singer/songwriter Chan Marshall that spans the musical spectrum from punk and folk to blues and electronica. Known for her unconventional stage shows and moody tunes, Cat Power is the darling of the college scene and alternative (actual alternative) radio stations across the land. Her new album Sun entered the Billboard 200 at No. 10 last September and is rated four stars by both Slant and Rolling Stone. But we don't need to sell you on Cat Power. One listen to "Cherokee" or "The Moon" and you'll be ready for a long night of caterwauling. -- Stacy Davies

OC Music Awards, Night 3
Slidebar

Those of you who've been waiting for the OC Music Awards to turn up the volume on their weekly live showcases are finally getting a healthy dose of distortion this week. Bringing a mix of psychobilly, blues and rock (read: rawk!) to the stage, Tuesday's show at Slidebar in Fullerton offers a chance to bang your head and blowout your eardrums to the sounds of Anna Vexa, Snakebit Drifters, Fiction Reform, Beneath the Buried and Death Hymn Number 9. --Nate Jackson

Wednesday, January 23

Quicksand
The Glasshouse

It has been almost fifteen years since Walter Schreifels, Tom Capone, Sergio Vega and Alan Cage collectively formed the brash, New York quartet Quicksand. We'll never forget the first time we saw their video for "Fazer" on Headbangers Ball on MTV in the early '90s and immediately went to the record store and picked up their debut album Slip. While nostalgia certainly abounds when it comes to this act, they've also become current again thanks for a string of reunion shows--the first of which was actually at the Glasshouse back in June. Back for another round, we're glad to see Quicksand's plans to rejoin the hardcore scene haven't sunk yet.--Andrew Youssef